World War II Honoree

James Leroy Wilson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Ricky, Leia & Children

Relationship

Grandson & Family

ENTERED THE ARMY AIR CORPS IN 1942. SENT FOR BASIC TRAINING IN MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA AT THE BERKELEY SHORES HOTEL. IN 1943 HE WAS SENT TO KESSLER FIELD AIR FORCE BASE IN BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI FOR AIRCRAFT FLIGHT ENGINEERING SCHOOL. THEN HE WAS SENT TO TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE IN PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA FOR AERIAL GUNNER TRAINING. NEXT HE WAS SENT TO WESTOVER AIR FORCE BASE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND ASSIGNED TO THE B-24 BOMBER. PROMOTED TO TOP GUNNER AERIAL ENGINEER SERGEANT. WAS THEN SENT TO FLIGHT TRAINING AT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA AND GOWAN AIR FORCE BASE IN BOISE IDAHO. IN 1944 HE WAS ASSIGNED TO WEWAK ISLAND. FLEW MISSIONS DURING THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION CAMPAIGN AND BOMBING MISSIONS TO PELELIU, TARAWA AND SAIPAN. HE HEADED THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN WITH PREPARATIONS TO BOMB OKINAWA AND PREPARATIONS FOR GROUND TROOPS. THE WAR ENDED AND HE WAS SENT TO JAPAN TO TRANSPORT TROOPS FOR THE ARMY OCCUPATION IN JAPAN. ENDED HIS SERVICE AS A STAFF SERGEANT.